LOCAL

LOCAL Frisbee golf CHAMPION -- The Trumbull County Metropolitan Park District will hold the Northeast Ohio Open, a professional disc golf competition, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 19 at Young's Run Disc Golf Course at Clarence Darrow Park in Champion Township. The Northeast Ohio Open is a C-tier event sanctioned by the Professional Disc Golf Association. Disc, or Frisbee, golf is similar to ball golf in procedure, pace, and psychology. The Northeast Ohio Open will be on Young's Run Course which will be expanded onto Kent State Trumbull Campus for the event. The longer, more open expansion holes will compliment the 15-hole course that utilizes the change of terrain and natural obstacles to force players to have a well-rounded game. For more information, contact Bill Flynn at (330) 609-6611 or check www.metroparks.co.trumbull.oh.us. Spectators are welcome. GYTOA to honorfour area athletes AUSTINTOWN -- The Greater Youngstown Track Officials Association will honor four area athletes at its annual banquet on Tuesday at the Gatsby. Springfield senior Nick Panezich, a three-time state champion, and Poland senior Colleen Moran, who earned all-Ohio honors in three events at this year's state meet, will be honored as the Mahoning County athletes of the year. Beaver Local senior Dan Kinsey, an all-Ohioan in three sports at the state meet, and Leetonia senior Malorie Valentine, a two-time state qualifier, will be honored as Columbiana County athletes of the year. Federal Leagueall-academic team Austintown Fitch High and Boardman High each had 12 seniors named to the Federal League's all-academic team, given to student-athletes who maintained a 3.8 grade point average or higher through their first seven semesters. Making the team from Fitch were Dustin Cramer (soccer), Andrew Fontanarosa (cross country, soccer, track), Brittney Kline (tennis), Matt Kuhns (soccer), Emily Lucas (golf), Brian Mellott (football, baseball), Charles Olenych (football, baseball), Alex Oles (baseball), Elaine Reedy (cross country, track), Tiffany Sokol (volleyball), Ryan Steeves (tennis) and Dan Wills (tennis). Making the team from Boardman were Jenna Agnew (track), Sarah Albani (soccer, softball), Tyler Dromboski (swimming), Chad Henson (swimming), Holly Holman (softball), Brooke Katzman (tennis, track), Siddharth Kudav (soccer), Jessica Moore (cross country, basketball, track), John Mulichak (baseball), Brittany Sirak (soccer, basketball), Jordan Winters (soccer) and Elizabeth Yazbek (basketball, track). Canfield students lauded CANFIELD -- Emily Abraham and Nate Merhaut, eighth graders at Canfield Village Middle School, were recently awarded the "Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award" for this school year. Games postponed STRUTHERS -- Friday's Class B baseball games at Cene Park were rained out and will be made up on Tuesday. NATION Babe Ruth contractsells for $996,000 NEW YORK -- The "cursed" 1919 contract that shipped Babe Ruth from Boston to the Bronx sold at auction Friday for a staggering $996,000, delighting its new owner -- a die-hard Yankees fan -- and a hunger-relief group designated to receive a financial windfall from the sale. "I was prepared to pay almost whatever it took," said Pete Siegel, head of Manhattan-based Gotta Have It Collectibles, after his winning offer. "I'm not saying a billion dollars, but whatever price I needed to secure it." The crowd at Sotheby's burst into cheers when the final hammer came down after 15 minutes of intense bidding. The five-page typed contract recorded the unprecedented deal blamed for dooming generations of Red Sox fans to heartbreak as victims of "The Curse of the Bambino." The price was nearly double the presale estimate for the Dec. 26, 1919, contract, signed by owners Harry Frazee of the Red Sox and Jacob Ruppert of Yankees, and nearly 10 times the $100,000 cost of purchasing Ruth. It was a deal that had lasting repercussions in both cities. The Red Sox, with Ruth, had won the World Series one year earlier. Vindicator staff/wire reports